Skin and Hair

Skin and Hair....Normal skin has a soft, pliable texture because of its water content. The outer layer of skin contains oil to help protect against water loss. The oil slows evaporation and holds moisture in the deeper layers of skin. If the oil is depleted, the skin becomes dry.

Dry skin or xerosis, is common, especially in people past middle age. Cold weather and frequent bathing are common causes. Bathing washes away surface oils, which allows the skin to dry out.

The key to treating simple dry skin is keeping the skin moist. Taking fewer baths allows protective oils to remain on the skin. The most common way that we deal with dry skin is to apply a lotion or cream. They contain petroleum jelly, mineral oil, or glycerin that holds water in the skin. However, the perfumes in some moisturizers irritate the skin and may further dry it.

Using a cream or lotion is just a temporary fix for dry skin and doesn’t permanently cure it. Lotions that contain highly processed vegetable oils are also devoid of the natural, protective antioxidants that are very important to skin care.

The Musculoskeletal System

This system provides form, stability, and movement to our bodies. It consists of our bones, which make up our skeleton, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, and other connective tissue. The term connective tissue is used to describe the tissue that binds other tissues and organs of our bodies together. Its main components are elastic fibers and collagen, a protein substance. Connective tissue provides the support to the various structures of our body - it holds organs in place, and provides the underlying structure for all tissues. It gives our skin strength and elasticity.

Oils have a pronounced effect on all the tissues of the body, especially the connective tissue. When we are young and healthy our skin is smooth, elastic, and supple. Free-radicals attack these fibers breaking them down, causing our skin to wrinkle and sag. The skin becomes dry and leathery.

Ultimately, thousands of molecules are damaged from free-radicals. Once a free-radical reaction starts, it causes a chain reaction that produces more free-radicals.

Antioxidants can stop this chain reaction. The more antioxidants we have available to our cells and tissues the better. The nutrients in our diet largely determine the number of antioxidants we have in our tissues.

Eating processed oils causes our bodies to have to use antioxidants to fight off the free radicals contained in the oil. This results in a deficiency of antioxidants.

The Best Lotion

An ideal lotion should soften the skin, protect it from damage, promote healing, and give it a more youthful, healthy appearance.

Pure coconut oil is a perfect natural skin lotion.

• It prevents free-radical formation and the damage caused by it.

• It can help prevent our skin from developing liver spots and other blemishes caused by aging and too much sunlight.

• It helps to keep connective tissues strong and supple so that the skin doesn’t sag and wrinkle.

• Sometimes it can restore damaged or diseased skin.

After bathing apply coconut oil to your skin to replace the natural oils and restore the skin’s natural environment. (I recommend goat’s milk soap for bathing. The oils and fats from the goat’s milk cause the soap to be less drying).

The Polynesians have traditionally worn very little clothing so have been exposed to the hot blistering sun, for generations. These people have beautiful healthy skin devoid of blemishes and cancer. They use coconut oil on their skin and eat a diet of coconuts. The oil is absorbed into the skin and the cells of the connective tissue. This limits the damage excessive sun exposure can cause. So even when exposed to long hours in the hot sun, their skin remains undamaged.

Polynesians who use coconuts in the traditional way have healthy skin and hair.

Skin Elasticity Test

This skin test indicates approximately how old functionally the skin has become as a result of free-radical deterioration. Free-radical destruction causes the skin to lose its elasticity, becoming leathery and wrinkled.

Pinch the skin on the back of your hand with your thumb and forefinger and hold it for five seconds. Let go and time how long it take for your skin to completely flatten back out; the shorter the time, the younger the functional age of your skin.

Time in Seconds - - - - - - - - - - - - Functional Age in Years

1-2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Under 30

3-4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 30-44

5-9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 45-50

10-13 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 60

35-55 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 70

56 or more - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - over 70

Using coconut oil is a better choice for dry skin, rather than using creams and lotions. I use coconut oil (I also use emu and sweet almond) and when I do this test my skin bounces back in 1-2 seconds. I’m in my late fifties.

Healthy Hair

Coconut oil can make your hair as healthy as your skin. It’s the ultimate hair conditioner. There are several ways that people like to apply the oil.

Massage a little into the hair before bedtime and wash it out in the morning.

Apply the oil to the hair until it’s soaked, wrap a towel around your head for an hour or two, and then shampoo out.

Apply some oil; cover it with a shower cap while you soak in the tub.

Warm the oil in warm water and apply the warmed oil to your hair before bedtime and wash out in the morning. (Don’t put the oil in the microwave. Microwaves destroy the integrity of whatever is heated in it, whether it’s food, water or coconut oil)

The information on Healthy-Healing-Oils.com is not offered for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any disease or disorder nor have any statements herein been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We strongly encourage you to discuss topics of concern with your health care provider.